The Americans With Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, recognizes that discrimination against people who cannot walk, see, hear, or engage in other "major life activities" as well as the average person is a civil rights concern.

The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

I am a dedicated disability advocate and believe strongly that it is a matter of civil rights and basic principals of equality that barriers to accessibility are removed, consistent with the requirements of the ADA, from all places of public accommodation. Places of public accommodation include a wide range of entities, such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors' offices, pharmacies, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, private schools, and day care centers.

Our cities and states must also ensure that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from services, programs, and activities because existing buildings are inaccessible. A state or local government's programs, when viewed in their entirety, must be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

Some states, such as Ohio, also have laws protecting the rights of the disabled in addition to the protection provided by the federal government and the ADA.